Global Courant 2023-05-23 00:07:55
An 18-year-old from Oahu, Hawaii made history on Sunday after becoming the first Pacific Islander singer to win “American Idol.”
Fan favorite Iam Tongi won the show’s 21st season after an emotional performance of his original song, “I’ll Be Seeing You,” dedicated to his late father. Country singer Megan Danielle of Georgia was second and Colin Stough of Mississippi was third.
“My dad would probably be crying right now. My dad, he’s a tough guy, but when my brother became a state wrestling champion, he cried. So I can just imagine him now,” Tongi shared “Entrance to Hollywood” after the final.
Iam Tongi celebrates after winning American Idol on Sunday.Eric McCandless/ABC
Tongi grabbed viewers from his first audition with a rendition of James Blunt’s “Monsters” that instantly went viral, racking up more than 22 million views on YouTube and TikTok combined. Blunt joined Tongi in the final for a duet that left judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan visibly emotional.
“I’ll Be Seeing You” and “Monsters” occupied the top two spots on the iTunes Charts the morning after the final.
Tongi, who he says is of Tongan, Samoan and Irish descent social media pageswas born and raised in Kahuku, Hawaii before moving to Seattle, Washington with his family.
“Kahuku is just a small town, everyone is just full of love and support. Even though I’ve moved, they still know this is my home,” Tongi said during his visit to his hometown as part of the show’s finale.
Tongi paid homage to his home state several times throughout the season, performing covers of Kolohe Kai’s “Cool Down” and “Lava” from the Disney movie of the same name set on a Pacific island.
‘American Idol’ crowns first Pacific Islander
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